Device for molding slabs



April 16, 1935.

J. G. BRUSH DEVICE FOR MOLDING SLABS Filed Feb. 8, 1954 l0 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Feb. 8, 1934 J. a. BRUSH 1,998,112

DEVICE FOR MOLDING v SLABS l0 Sheets$heet 2 I NV E NTOR.

ATTORNEY.

0 o I IHH O O "*I' J. G. BRUSH 1,998,117

DEVICE FOR MOLDING SLABS Filed Feb. 8, 1954 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 .OO 2 O0INVENTOR.

April 1%, 1935.

J. G. BRUSH DEVICE FOR MOLDING SLABS Filed Feb. 8, 1934 0.130 e (mi a J..||n|| IV vI/IIII/III/ l III/I, III;

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DEVICE FOR MOLDING SLABS Filed Feb. 8, 1954 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 N N n &EEQ:

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April 16, 1935. BRUSH 1,998,117

DEVICE FOR MOLDING SLABS Filed Feb. 8, 1 934 10Sheets-Sheet 6 Ill] ' 1 1INVENTOR.

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April 16, 1935.

.LG. BRUSH DEVICE FOR MOLDING SLABS l0 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Feb. 8,1934 lmmlmn 1 m- WUHHH' ATTORNEY.

April 16, 1935. .1. G. BRUSH 1,993,117

' DEVICE FOR MOLDING SLABS I Filed Feb. 8, 1934 l0 Sheets-Sheet 8INVENTOR.

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A ril .16, 1935. J. G. BRUSH DEVICE FOR MOLDING SLABS 1O Sheets-Sheet 9INVENTOR c/a/g/vT 59%;,

J 4 I O I April 16, 19351. 1 1 J. G. BRUSH 1,998,117

DEVICE FOR MOLDING SLABS Filed FeB. 8, 1934 10 Sheets-Sheet 1O W66 g 3952 g 52 IN VEN TOR.

' ATTORNEY.

Fig. 3.

Patented Apr. 16, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics DEVICE FOR MOLDINGSLABS ware Application February 8, 1934, Serial No. 710,237

13 Claims.

Mypresent invention relates to a device for molding or casting slabs ofgypsum or some sim ilar cementitious material preferably though notnecessarily continuously. a

The principal object of the invention is the design of a machine whichmay be expeditiously,

used to; castslabs of the above character, quickly, cheaply and mamultiplicity of forms, with minimum adjustment.

ther objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

The invention in one of its aspects only. contemplates a machine havinga series of bed-plates carried on a conveying means, such as a chain orthe like, and adapted to receive a flexible belt thereon serving as thebottom of a mold cavity and upon which the slabs are to be cast, withside mold heads movable toward and away from the flexible belt to formthe sides of the mold cavities. The invention is primarily designed tocast slabs of a length many times their width and provided with sideand/or end metal edge members and means are provided for seating orcarrying these edge members so that the plastic material is receivedbetween them. In another aspect of the invention, and where such sideand/or end metal edge members are used, the mold heads may be dispensedwith and other means substituted to secure such edge elements tween.

The invention, therefore, consists in the novel arrangement, combinationand construction of parts more fully hereinafter described and shown 4in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings- Fig. l is a fragmentary top plan view of the in-put endor" a machine constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of that part of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the output end of the machine,constructed according to this invent-ion.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the machine of Fig. 5 is a sectional viewalong of Fig. 4. a

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation, showing some of the details ofconstruction of the output end of the machine of Fig-3.

Fig. '7 isan enlarged sectional view similar to the top half of Fig. 5,showing the mold heads in closed position. v

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view similar to.

in position to receive plastic material therebe-- the line 5-5 the viewof Fig. 7, showing, however, the mold heads in opened or separatedposition.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an assembly near the out-put end of themachine, showing one form of completed slab.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of Fig. 5. a

11 is a fragmentary plan view similar to that of Fig. 10, except showingthemold heads in opened position. a

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary plan view showing the use of end gates forseparating cast slabs.

Fig. 13 is a sectional View along the line |3-l3 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is asectional view along the line (1-44 of Fig. 12.

15 is a perspective view of the end gate assembly.

Fig. 16 is a perspective of the supplemental block formpart of the endgate assembly.

Fig. l? is a plan View of a modified form of ma- 2 china, showing thelocking means for the edge members.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view along the line l8'l8 of FigJl'].

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary side view of the looking mechanism of Figs. 17and 18.

Referring now with particularity to the embodiments. illustrated, butwithout particularly referring to the parts by reference'character, themachine in one of its aspects comprises individual bed-plates secured toindividual slide bars, which in turn are carried by links, the linkspassing over sprockets or pulleys at each end ofthe machine. The chainsmay include rollers, supported upon suitable tracks to facilitatemovement with a minimum amount of friction.

The machine frame is provided with tracks at each side thereof toreceive supporti-ngrollers on carriages on the ends of the slide bars.

Slidably mounted on each bar are two separated mold heads having rollermechanisms engageable withcam guides to cause movement of the headstoward andaway from each other as the entireme'chanism progresses underthe action of power.

A. flexible belt is adapted to lie upon, the bedplates toform acontinuous smooth surfacewhich is used as the bottom ofthe mold cavity,-and the mold heads have. mechanisms or portions adapted to .overliethebelt. Where slabs are formed withmetal edgemembers, these.ed'gemechanismsaresupported .and' held in the desired location either bythemold. heads themselves or. by suitable. mechanism attachedlthereto,the entire. assembly moving-uniformly. pasta filling spout whichdelivers the plastic material to the belt and to the edge membersthereon. Suitable screeding mechanism levels the plastic material to thedesired thickness.

After the thus poured slab has progressed a distance sufficient topermit the plastic material to take a set, the rollers on the mold headsstrike their cam guides and are separated from the thus set slab, whichpermits the slab to be removed. This removal mechanism may consist of anadditional belt or rollers beyond the output end of the machine properand moving at a rate slightly faster than the rate of travel of the beltsupporting the slabs at the time of casting. This serves to pull theindividual slabs away from each other for further disposition.

As the individual bed-plates pass over the power driven sprocket at theoutput end of the machine, suitable mechanism is provided for droppingthe plates and their supports to a level lower than the normal run sothat as these plates pass around the sprocket, the tipped-up edgethereof clears the belt which must in all events run as nearlyhorizontal as possible past the power driven sprocket.

As the bed-plates and their associated mechanism pass in an up-side-downposition back to the in-put end of the machine, additional cam guidesforce the mold heads back into initial po sition. The bed-plates andtheir associated mechanism pass up around a sprocket which may be drivenfrom the drive sprocket at the output end of the machine, where theframe side supporting rails again locate them in a position to receivemore plastic material. At this point a flexible belt which has traveledcompletely outside of the bed-plates is returned to the bedplates, andthe operation is repeated.

The above operation is generally that designed for the casting of slabswhere metal edge members are used on both the sides and the ends.

Where slabs having no metal members on the ends are cast, the operationabove is only slightly modified in that separable end gates are placedin position between certain mold heads, determined by the length of theslab to be cast and these end gates are removed after the finished slabhas been pulled away from the main run by the faster driven belt, andsuch end gates then returned to position at the in-put end of themachine.

Where the metal edged members are initially supplied to the machine inthe form of a rigid frame, that is, not separate pieces, the elaboratemold head mechanism is unnecessary but may be replaced by a much simplermechanism designed merely to clamp or secure the rigid frames to thebelt. This clamping action is performed automatically by means ofcertain toggles operating triggers, as is likewise their release fromoperating position in order to remove the slab.

Referring now with particularity to one of the embodiments illustrated,frame standards are shown at having horizontal cross pieces 2 to supportthe entire mechanism.

Suitably carried by one cross piece 2 is a beam 3 carrying rail 4, whichmay serve as the principal support for the series of bed-plates.

These bed-plates are shown at 5, secured to individual slide bars 6which are in turn carried by links I having rollers 8 riding upon thesupporting rail 4. The ends of the slide bars 6 are provided withcarriages 9, having rollers ll) mounted thereon which engage thevertical portion H of the slide bar track, and other rollers l2supported upon the horizontal portion 13 of the slide bar track. In thisway the slide bars and their associated mechanism are supported by theslide bar tracks [3 and the rail 4 in perfect alignment. It ispreferable that the individual bed-plates 5 be separated as at M for apurpose which will be more fully described hereinafter. A flexible beltI5 of substantial thickness overlies the individual bed-plates, bridgingthe gap between them and serves as the bottom of the mold cavity towhich the slabs are to be cast.

Mold heads !5 are mounted for sliding movement on the slide bars 6 andare provided at their lower portions with rollers 11 engageable withsuitable cam guides l8 arranged to cause sliding movement of the moldheads on the slide bars toward each other into the molding position andother cam guides I9 to reversely move the mold heads into slab releasingposition. The mold heads [6 are provided with elements 20 having tongues2| and grooves 22, corresponding with grooves and tongues on the metaledge elements of the slabs. It is preferable that these elements 20 beslightly beveled as at 23 so that as the mold head assembly is movedtoward the belt, the elements 20 will ride up over the edge of the beltand form a firm seat on the belt.

As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the elements 20 are arranged in closelyabutting relation so that when the metal edge members of the slabs areplaced thereagainst, such members will be supported therebysubstantially throughout their length.

The drive sprocket is shown in Fig. 6 at 24, mounted upon shaft 25driven by any suitable mechanism, not shown. The shaft 25 likewisecarries a beveled gear 26 serving to drive shaft 21 connected at theopposite end with gears 28 and 29. This gear chain causes rotation ofthe shaft 30 at the in-put end of the machine and likewise sprocket 3!.

At the take-01f end of the machine and as shown in Fig. 6, it isdesirable that the belt [5 maintain its horizontal run until the slabshave been removed therefrom because while these slabs have taken a firstset, yet their strength is not such as will enable them to be handled atthis point. The slabs must therefore, continue to a point beyond thesprocket 24, while the bedplates supporting the belt, leave the belt,pass around the sprocket, and to be returned to the in-put end.

As shown in Fig. 6, the rollers 8 on the links 1 drop off of the end oftheir sup-porting rail 4, and due to the fact that a space l4 existsbetween bed-plates, each bed-plate drops down slightly below the levelit occupied when the chain roller 8 was supported on the rail 4 as thatchain and plate passes around the plate and sprocket 24. This loweredposition is indicated in Fig. 6 by the letter A. At this point the plateA drops away from the belt but the slab is still supported by the beltby reason of the fact that it bridges the gap between the last railsupported plate B and the intermediate supporting rollers 32. Thehorizontal location of the slab therefore, has not been disturbed. Thisdropping away of the plate A from the belt 15 is sufficient to permitthe tipped-up corner 33 of the plate to clear the belt as the platepasses around the sprocket 24.

As shown in Fig. 4, the supporting roller 32 is one of a series used tocarry the belt until the end of the slab is received by the take-offbelt mechanism 34 driven by means of suitable mechanism at a speedgreater than the belt I 5. When heads the end of the finished slabreaches the belt 34, it is separated from its neighbor and carried awaytherefrom for further disposition such as drying or subsequenttreatment. The main belt [5 passes around the drum in an endless mannerto the in-put end. I

At the in-put end of the machine and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thebed-plates 5 pass around the sprocket 3!, the mold heads H5 having beenreturned to molding position by means of the cam guides, the roller 8 ofthe chain being received on the rail 4 and the rollers l0 and E2 on theslide bar 6 by their tracks 8 i and i3. At this point the belt i5 havingpassed over the drumtli, and under idlers 3t, rests upon the top of thebedplates and in molding position, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7.

The above operations are repeated ad infinitum. In casting slabs on theabove mechanism, and beginning with the mechanism in the position shownin Fig. 2, somewhere around the idler sprocket 3! and the fillingmechanisms shown generally at 38, the side metal edge members as areplaced in position against the elements 28. Where a slab as shown at atin Fig. 9 is to be formed with end metal members 4!, in addition to theside edge members 39, two of these end members 4! are placed togetherwith the tongue in one fitting the groove in the other and extendingbetween members 28 carried by the mold It. Each therefore holds theother in place. The thus assembled metal edges form with the belt 5 amold cavity and this cavity passes beneath the filling mechanism 38where gypsum or other cementitious material of the desired consistencyis delivered thereto. As the entire assembly passes along, screedingmechanism. 42 of any suitable type levels the cementitious materialpreferably to the top of the metal elements 39 and the thus cast slabcontinues along the horizontal run for a desired distance until a firstset has taken place. After this has taken place, the rollers H on themold headsengage their cam guides Iii which separate the heads away fromthe cast slabs and the slab is then removed at the out-put end of themachine as above described.

In some instances, however, it has been found desirable to cast slabshaving metal edge members but without end members. In such circumstancesit is necessary to provide end gates between slabs preferably so shapedas toform a step or shiplap on the slab ends. This mechanism is shown insome detail in Figs. 12 to 16 inclusive.

For this purpose certain of the elements so on certain of the mold headsl6 are removed. The faces of the mold heads it are provided with slots43 through which pass bolts or the like 44 intoblocks as havingvertically extending ribs or projections 4G receivable in correspondinggrooves in the end gate ii. Each end of the end gate 41 may be similarlyformed and is adapted for engagement with its mating block 15. In thismanner, the end gates may be readily removed from their retaining blocks55 following the separation of the finished slab upon its reaching thebelt 36 as has already been described.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 15, these block portions 58 may becast integrally with their respective gate sections 4'1. In theconstruction illustrated in this figure it will be noted hat the endgate 4'! is formed in two sections 41" and the adjacent ends of thesections adapted to be firmly held together in their retracted positionby means of dowel pins.

The end gate l? proper is provided with upper and lower projections 49and 56 respectively, so as to form on the finished slabs, steps orshiplaps.

, The position of the end gates ll will be determined by the length ofslabs being cast and this position may be varied by reason of the slotsat in the mold heads Hi. As shown in Fig. 12, the metal edge members 39extend beyond the mold head elements 28 and the tongue on one of theedge members 39 is seated in a depression 5! of the block 45. Thedepression 5!, as shown on the block illustrated in Fig. 16, iscontinuous, which makes this member usable on either side of themachine. The assembly being in the position as shown in Fig. 12, theslabs are cast as before, the end gate 4'! serving to separate theindividual masses of cast material which form the slab and also servingto suitably shape the ends of the slabs. approaches the take-off end,the mold heads IS are separated as above described, the mold head on theright of Fig. 12 carrying the gate t! proper and the parts are thenreturned into assembled position beneath the machine as the mechanismreturns to the in-put end.

In some instances it has been found desirable to make up metal edgedslabs using the metal edge members secured together as a rigid frame,

that is, where the frame is assembled first into a rigid structure andthis rigid structure placed upon the belt rather than in the form ofloose pieces as above described. Obviously any suitable means may beresorted to for fastening these metal elements together.

In the case of such rigid frames, the mold head and slide bar assemblymay be entirely dispensed with. In this connection reference is made toigs. 17, 18 and 19. There the bed-plates are shown at 52 in slightlymodified form and to the bottom of which is secured fixture 53, carryingrollers 5d, supported on tracks 55. This assembly may be duplicated onthe other side of bed-plate to adequately support the same. The flexiblebelt 15 is used as before.

Attached to the bed-plate 52 is a securing mechanism which includes alever arm 55 having a bell crank 51 connected with a second lever arm 53as by toggle 59. The other end of the lever arm 56 terminates in a nose69 adapted in operative position (see lower half of Fig. 1'?) to engagewith the upper surface of the tongue of the metal edge member 39, theouter edge of the tongue engaging the vertical step 60', (Fig. 19) thusacting as a gauge to accurately position the side member.

Somewhat similar mechanism on theother side of the machine operates in.substantially the same manner, the nose 6! carrying gauge means 6|engaging in the groove of, and against a vertical portion of the metalmember 39, all of which serves to effectively clamp or secure the frameto the belt !5 in an accurate manner while the plastic material is beingpoured.

In order to make the mechanism automatic, a stationary operating trigger62 is suitably mounted at the side of the machine so that when thebed-plate and its associated mechanism is moving in the direction of thearrows in Fig. 17, the secondary lever 58 will strike the operatingtrigger 62 and be moved counter-clockwise (looking at Fig. 17) Thismovement by reason of the top of 59 will cause the nose 6% of the leverarm 56 to engage over the tongue of the mmber 39 and force the latterinto contact with the flexible When the entire mechanism belt. After thematerial has been peered and has taken its set, a second trigger 63located on the side of the machine and in a plane higher than that oftrigger 62, hits the end of the lever arm and returns it to its initialposition, thereby releasing the nose 66 from the tongue on edge member39. Obviously these securing mechanisms may either be located on eachindividual bedplate or only on certain bed-plates, it being onlynecessary that enough of them be used, depending upon the length of theslab being cast, to secure the frame to the belt.

While the modified mechanism as described in Figs. 17, 18 and 19 isparticularly suitable for use with rigid slab frames, yet obviously itis not to be limited thereto, inasmuch as slabs may be formed using thismechanism where loose separated side metal edges are provided. In suchcase it is to be noted that a gauge plate is likewise secured to theedge of the bed-plates 52 having a vertical portion so spaced withrelation to a similar plate at the other side of the run that when themetal members 39 are placed in contact therewith, the desired width ofslab may be cast therebetween.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference toparticular embodiments of the invention, yet obviously I do not wish tobe limited thereto but the invention is to be construed broadly andlimited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A slab molding machine comprising a series of bed-plates, eachsecured to a bar, a carriage at each end of the bar, tracks for thecarriage, a link secured to the bar, a track for the link, mold headsslidingly carried by the bar, a flexible belt overlying the bed-plates,and means to uniformly move the link and belt.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the belt underlies the mold heads.

3. The device of claim 1 with slab side forming metal elements engagedby the mold heads, said belt underlying the metal elements.

4. The device of claim 1 in which each bed-plate is out of contact withits neighbor, the belt bridg ing the gap between bed-plates.

5. The device of claim 1 with slab side forming metal members, said moldheads engaging said metal members.

6. The device of claim 1 with slab side forming metal members, said moldheads engaging said metal members, said side metal members extendingover more than one bed-plate.

'7. The device of claim 1 with slab side forming metal members, saidmold heads engaging said metal members, said side metal members and saidmold heads being complementarily tongued and grooved.

S. The device of claim 1 with an end gate extending between certain moldheads.

9. The device of claim 1 with slab side form ing metal members, saidmold heads engaging said metal members, and slab end forming metalmembers extending between certain opposite mold heads.

10. The device of claim 1 with slab side forming metal members, saidmold heads engaging said metal members, and slab end forming metalmembers extending between certain opposite mold heads, said end metalmembers being tongued and grooved together.

11. A slab molding machine comprising a series of bed-plates, a flexiblebelt overlying the bedplates, means for moving the belt and bed-platesuniformly, slab side forming metal members associated with the belt, andmeans to anchor said metal members in contact with said belt.

12. The device of claim 11 in which the anchoring means comprises a camand automatic means for operating the same and retuning it to itsinitial position.

13. The device of claim 11 in which the anchoring means comprises cammechanism carried by the bed-plates and stationary means located on themachine frame for cooperating therewith to move the same into metalmember engaging position and released position.

JOHN G. BRUSH.

